Improvement in hemp-brakes



l. F."ADAMS. Hemp-Brakes.

-N0. 144,301. Patented Nov.4,1873.

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'Qi Si: L 'El di i n* L I l l l Witnesses I Inventor.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. ADAMS, OF LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN Hemp-BRAKES.

' Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 144,301, datedNovember 4, 1873; application filed April 26, 187e.

' construction and arrangement of a machine for breaking hemp, as willbe hereinafter more fully set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my inventionappertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation, referring to the annexed drawing, in which-Figure 1 is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a transverse vertical section,of my machine.

A represents the frame of my machine, constructed in any suitable mannerto contain the various working parts thereof. Along the front in theupper part of the frame A is a feedtable, B, over the inner edge ofwhich is an inclined band, C. Directly opposite the feedtable is arevolving hexagon or polygonal shaped cylinder, D, provided withlongitudinal ribs a a, each rib being perpendicular with the cylinder onthe front side and curved on the back. Below this cylinder in the frameare two revolving heXagon or polygonal shaped drums, E and G,bothprovided with ribs similar to those on the cylinder D. These drums areof dierent size, and the ribs on both of them are placed in the samemanner as those on the cylinder-that is, having a straight orperpendicular side in front and the rear side curved. The cylinder anddrums are so connected by pulleys and belts, or other equivalent means,that the smaller drum E and the cylinder D will revolvein the samedirection, while the larger drum G m'll revolve in the oppositedirection, as indicated by arrows in Fig. 2.

Any power may be used to run the machine, such power being applied to apulley on the shaft of the large drum G.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The operator takes a bundle of the stalks of -hemp around the smallerend, and spreads the other ends across the table B, and moves the hempforward, when it comes in contact with the ribs a of the cylinder D,which snap the stalks oft' from one-half to three inches in length. Whenthe bundle is fed in to about .one-half its length,it is drawnback,which can be easily done without stopping or reversing the motionof the machine. The hemp is then reversed and fed the other end through,and then, in like manner, drawn back again, when the operator throws itover a pole behind him, where a man is to stand to tie it up in bundles.It is held securely in the hands all the time the machine is at work onit; consequently it cannot get entangled, but comes from the machinecleaned and straight. As soon as the ends of the stalks are snapped oif,the lint descends between the table and cylinder, and comes in contactwith the drums, which, in revolving toward leach other, take it downbetween them, and whip or fiail it both on the bottom and top, and ridit of any particle of woody matter; then, as it is drawn from themachine by the operator who feeds it in, as above stated, the lint isdressed nicely and left straight and pretty, the cylinder and drumsrevolving in the opposite direction to that in which the hemp is drawnout.

This machine is cheap, durable, and very simple, and combines the rarequalities of both breaking and cleaning hemp well. It does not `crush orgrind up hemp, but it comes from the machine well cleaned, straight, andglossy. Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new,and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination of the cylinder D with the i two drums E and G, all ofdifferent sizes, and

eachprovided with the ribs a a, said cylinder and drums revolving atdifferent rates of speed, as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing' I have hereunto set my handthis 1st day of April, 1873.

f JOHN F. ADAMS. Witnesses:

WM. H. MGGANN, JNO. T. STEvnNsoN.

